We were lucky to catch up with Melanie Berardicelli recently and have shared our conversation below.
Melanie, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
At my core, I firmly believe that I was gifted this life to devote it to helping others through art. There brings me no greater joy and a sense of purpose to help others grow and succeed, and to share my beliefs and hopes for this world through my own artistic expression.
From a very young age I knew I would become an artist. Some of my earliest memories- and happiest memories- are of me sitting with my father at his work desk, pencil in hand drawing on a piece of computer paper. Believe it or not, up until the age of nineteen I never would have thought I’d become a fine arts educator, let alone a Master of Fine Arts Professor at the New York Academy of Art. On my very first day of undergraduate school at SUNY New Paltz, a psychic had predicted that I would become a teacher; I groaned. That wasn’t what I’d hoped for at all, I thought, dreaming of becoming a fabulous full-time artist. She assured me that it was better than I thought; I would be helping many, many people, and I would love it. Her words always stuck with me; in my heart, I knew she was ultimately right. In the summer of 2014, I first began teaching drawing and painting at USDAN Center for the Creative and Performing Arts. I absolutely loved it! Passing on everything I’ve learned, my students created works that would allow them acceptance into various fine arts colleges in the country and in national competitions. In 2017, after receiving my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, I began teaching K-8 Art and Art History at Ivy League School. It was wonderful; everyone was eager to learn, and eager to create! I was over the moon, curating and hosting the Annual Art Show at the school; imagine, the entire gymnasium overflowing with everyone’s projects. In 2019, I went back to school to study for my master’s degree; I graduated Summa Cum Laude from the New York Academy of Art in 2021 with a Master of Fine Arts degree in Painting. Upon my graduation, I was awarded the 2021 SURP Teaching Award to teach an indirect painting course through the Summer Undergraduate Residency Program. This opportunity was the doorway that led me to teach through the Continuing Education Program, Certificate of Fine Arts Program, and Master of Fine Arts Program. The way my life has unfolded feels like destiny; I was always meant to follow this amazing, winding path.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am current faculty at the New York Academy of Art, teaching a little bit of everything (drawing, painting, sculpture, and anatomy) through each of the programs offered (Continuing Education, the Summer Undergraduate Residency Program, Certificate of Fine Arts, and Master of Fine Arts). Let me tell you, there is never a dull day at work! Some of the most exciting moments for me teaching in higher education is seeing the magic of students having that “aha!” moment; achieving illusionistic, indirect flesh tones with just a simple glaze of color, understanding and decoding the observed figure through clay for the first time, and gaining confidence in their skills. I’ve had quite a few students who have never sculpted before go on to become successful sculptors after taking one of my classes. There is no better feeling than helping others realize their potential- You are a painter! You were a sculptor, all along! It was always within you!
In my personal work, I consider myself a painter, sculptor, and anatomist at heart. For me, there is always something new to discover through color, mark-making in clay, and patterns in the human body. In fact, my current work, heavily inspired by the Roman Martyr Catacomb Saints, marries each of my passions, as well as my love of the ornate and my love of sewing. I was first introduced to the glittering imagery of the elaborately bejeweled skeletal saints through Paul Koudounaris’s Heavenly Bodies: Cult Treasures and Spectacular Saints from the Catacombs. I admired the tireless dedication of the nuns who adorned the skeletal remains of Christian martyrs from 100 AD with their own rings and gems. Combining my love of anatomy and sculpture with the ornate, I hand-tailor, embroider, and bead costumes to both adorn my resin-cast skeletal écorchés to recreate twenty-four-inch Roman Martyr Catacomb Saints and emulate the sacrifice and devotion of the nuns. Through painting and embroidery on canvas, I re-imagine what these saints looked like during their lifetimes, giving them back their identities and re-christening them after the heroic people that I have known in my life.
Most recently, I have been fascinated by the idea of literally giving identity back to these heroes. In 2022 and 2023 I had the opportunity to work with the New York Police Department to reconstruct the faces of missing persons. Under the tutelage of Joe Mullins at the New York Academy of Art, I spent a week learning the forensic process, from organizing tissue dent markers on a 3-D printed replica skull of the missing person to analyzing boney landmarks to sculpt facial features to accurate position, size, and shape. In my most recent sculptural piece, Saint John, I worked from a live model and utilized a reversal of the forensic process to reveal the shape and details of the skull.
I’m honored to share that I was recently selected as one of the very first recipients of the Long Island Grants for the Arts, Artist Fellowship. With this grant, I’ll begin a brand-new, year-long project inspired by the forensic sculpting process that is supported by the Long Island Grants for the Arts through funds provided by the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and administered by The Huntington Arts Council.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three qualities I’ve always maintained in my practice have been discipline/a good work ethic, a deep love and hunger for learning, and trust in following my gut/creative intuition. These qualities are what drive me to paint, sculpt, experiment, and research. Art is a balance; I believe wholeheartedly that you need to balance creative expression with good hard work and dedication. If you are early on in your artistic journey, I always encourage creatives to establish a schedule or a small set of goals; if you practice for three hours a day once a week, imagine where you’ll be in six weeks; or twelve; or in a year from now! In my own practice, if I spend six hours a day teaching or helping others, I make sure to then dedicate six hours to myself and my own work. The important thing is to dedicate time to your practice, to prioritize yourself and your dream, and to believe in yourself! Remember to be kind to yourself as you grow, and to enjoy each moment.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
I have so many incredible people in my life to thank for their support, guidance, and tutelage on this wild, whirlwind of a journey! The first must be my mother, Kathleen Berardicelli; she has always believed in me, pushed me to try new things, and encouraged me to never give up! In fact, she is the reason I am an artist today; growing up, I adored her watercolor paintings, and when I was in middle school she had given me a sketchbook to draw in when I had no one to talk to at lunch; the rest is history. Of course, the rest of my family- my father Michael, my sister Grace and her husband Matthew, my sister Emily, and my late brother Christopher, for their support, and for always coming to my art events. Chris is the one who encouraged me to pursue my master’s degree; without his guidance, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I am deeply grateful for my lifelong friend, Kayla Gleeson, who has seen my work transform over the last fifteen years, has stayed by my side through thick and thin, and always believed in me. I’m grateful for my friends Harper and Corey, who help me find new opportunities to share my work. And of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the tutelage of my teachers and professors, who gave me the skills, techniques, and processes I still use to this day, as well as the courage to be true to myself. Thank you, Cynthia Eardley, Dan Thompson, Peter Drake, and John Volk from the New York Academy of Art; Thank you, Cheryll Wheat, Colleen Cody, Patricia Sullivan, Alicia Ivan, and Mike Malloy from SUNY New Paltz; Thank you, Mrs. Stavrakos, Mrs. Stewart, Mr. and Mrs. Fawess, Mr. Lavery, Mr. Ruggiero, Mrs. Kaminsky, and Mrs. Krollage from my grade school district. You have all had a positive, lasting impact on my life, and I am grateful every day for your help, guidance, and belief in my unique path in this life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.berardicelliart.com
- Instagram: @melanieb_art
Image Credits
All photographs of artwork by Melanie Berardicelli
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